Sub-zero wind chills stung north Arkansas early Thursday as most of the state expected light snow during the day.
A wind-chill advisory is in place for the northern third of the state until 9 a.m., as cities including Batesville, Clarksville, Harrison, Mountain Home, Russellville and Yellville felt wind chills drop to zero or below, the National Weather Service said. Some locations in north Arkansas could see wind chills as low as minus 10 degrees, but the chill will abate as the sun rises, forecasters said. Wind chill is a calculation of the effect on exposed skin of high winds and low temperatures.
The rest of Arkansas can expect low temperatures and winds of 5 to 10 mph, which could further put strain on ice-covered trees and power lines, leading to more power failures, forecasters said. At 7:45 a.m. Thursday, Entergy Arkansas reported that about 18,000 customers remained without power after Tuesday's ice storm. More than 61,000 homes and businesses had lost service during the peak of the storm, and more than 2,400 Entergy linemen were dispatched to restore power. About 2,800 remained in the dark in Cross County on Thursday morning; Mississippi, St. Francis, Montgomery, Crittenden, Conway and Garland counties each had between 1,200 and 2,200 customers in the dark.
Light snow is possible for much of the state; accumulation will come to an inch or less in mainly the west and central parts of the state, the weather service said. The Arkansas Forestry Commission reported a dusting of snow at Mount Ida on Thursday morning but scant snow from Pencil Bluff west to Mena, the weather service wrote in a tweet.
Snow and flurries will continue Friday afternoon and night, weather service Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Robinson said.
In Little Rock, the Salvation Army planned to open its warming center, 1111 W. Markham St., both Thursday and Friday and is seeking donations of snacks to feed its visitors.
In addition, a flood warning remains in effect for the Ouachita River at Thatcher Lock and Dam near Calion.
